Get Kids Moving
Healthy Eating Habits and Exercise Lead to a Healthy Weight and Self-Esteem
Things have changed since your childhood — recess and gym are no longer a given in schools, there’s a fast-food restaurant on every corner and kids are more likely to spend their free time indoors playing video games than outside playing kickball.
Experts at Rainbow say children ages 2 to 19 should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. This, in combination with healthy eating habits, not only helps kids maintain a healthy weight, but also helps them stay fit while building self-esteem.
“The key to maintaining a healthy weight is all about energy balance,” says Eve Kutchman, exercise physiologist in the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Healthy Kids, Healthy Weight (HKHW) program.
“If you take in the same amount of calories as you expend, your weight will be in balance and you will neither gain nor lose weight. It’s when that balance is off that weight problems can occur.”
HKHW specialists offer the following guidelines for healthy eating habits:
Rethink Your Drink: Beverage calories count and can greatly impact weight gain or loss. Consider substituting pop or juice with water or a diet beverage, or limit your portion size by choosing a smaller-size drink.
Start the Morning Right: Research shows that those who eat breakfast on a regular basis weigh less than those who skip it. Make time for breakfast and have quick, easy-to-prepare foods available at home.
Avoid Proportion Distortion: Today’s portion sizes have nearly tripled from 20 years ago. Having smaller portions on your plate is a great way to cut back on calories. Instead of eating food from its original bag or box, pour the food onto a plate.
Get Your Five a Day: Research shows that people who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day have half the risk of cancer and one-third the risk of heart disease. Consider having one cup of vegetables daily with dinner and a fruit at breakfast, lunch and snack time.
Avoid Eating-Out Pitfalls: Portion sizes are very large at restaurants. Assess how many times you eat out, and work on decreasing that number. HKHW specialists suggest ordering the smallest sizes or splitting your meal with someone.
Choose Snacks Wisely: Cut back on “empty” calorie snack foods, like chips, candy or cookies that provide few nutrients and are usually higher in calories. Limit these foods to two to three times per week and keep snacks less than 300 calories.
Slow Down: It takes 20 minutes for the brain to get a signal that the stomach is full. Slowing down at mealtime can help prevent overeating.
Watch What You Add: Condiments are additional fats that can contribute to a higher calorie intake. Limit the amounts used or substitute them with low-fat versions. Exercise, in combination with healthy eating habits, helps kids stay at a healthy weight. That’s vital because one in three U.S. children is overweight or obese. Any activity is great, but what burns the most calories? Obtain your child’s weight and consult the chart below to get an estimate of the calories he or she University Hospitals (UH) Rainbow Babies burns by participating in the activities listed.
